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Supervised injection sites save lives, but they can’t fight the overdose crisis on their own. That is among the advice Ottawa’s Dr. Jeff Turnbull plans to give Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott when he meets with her in coming weeks as part of the province’s closely watched review of supervised injection sites.

The Progressive Conservative government has halted approval of new supervised sites while it conducts the review. Premier Doug Ford said on the campaign trail that he is “dead against” supervised injection sites. This week, he said he would listen to experts.

Safe injection sites are needed, but aren't enough on their own: Dr. Jeff TurnbullBack to video

Turnbull, the former chief of staff at The Ottawa Hospital who resigned last year to become full-time medical director at Ottawa’s Inner City Health, is among those experts. He said Thursday he is happy to meet with the minister to talk about his experience and the evidence.

Turnbull said there is no question supervised injection sites are saving lives. This week alone, the supervised injection trailer in Lowertown operated by Shepherds of Good Hope, saw eight overdoses in a single day, all of which were reversed by staff using naloxone.

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“Without that (program), how many would have died?” Turnbull asked.

He added that an opioid strategy based solely on residential treatment centres and abstinence-based programs will fail. Supervised injection sites play a crucial role in saving lives and getting people engaged with other health treatment and programs. But they must be part of a larger, integrated program.

There is no quick fix to the opioid crisis, he warned.

The province’s review has caused anxiety among some, but Turnbull said he supports it. “I think any new programs should be reevaluated on a periodic basis to ensure they are achieving the goals they set out to do, especially when things are changing so rapidly.” He added that it should be done “as quickly as possible so that we can either adjust or continue to meet the needs of our community.

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“I have no concerns if this is truly an evidence-based review. I think that faced with the evidence, the government would continue (to support) supervised injection sites.”

Ottawa has four supervised injection sites operating with permission from the federal and provincial governments. As part of the federal application process, the Ontario health minister must write a letter of support for the proposed supervised injection service. Provincial funding has also helped the sites operate. Ottawa Public Health endorses supervised injection sites as an effective response to the opioid crisis.

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Turnbull said there is mounting evidence from Ontario and elsewhere about what works, and that includes supervised injection sites as part of an integrated treatment program that includes mental health supports, housing, health care and harm reduction, in addition to residential treatment options.

Turnbull is part of a team that has overseen the growth of Inner City Health, which serves the Ottawa’s homeless population, and, increasingly copes with the opioid drug crisis. Inner City Health has been studied by organizations from around the world.

Among other things, its programs include replacement therapies such as methadone and suboxone as well as prescription injection drugs for some drug users to help stabilize them. It also offers health care and testing, mental health support, housing and other programs.

Turnbull cautioned that abstinence-based programs are not for everyone. There is a high death rate for people who get off opioids and then relapse, he noted.

“I would like to get people off drugs, who wouldn’t? The caveat is that this has to be part of an overarching integrated program to achieve that goal. It might not be available for everybody, but it should be a goal.

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